Concerning our daily bread,
An Expoſition of the Affembly's Catechism.
that comes in competitiontherewith ; 1 Cor. ix. ult. ButIkeep under mybody, and bring it into ſubjection ; left thatby any meanswhen I have preached to others, I myself ſhould be a caſt-away. Gal. vi. 14. ButGod forbid that I should glory, fave in thecroſs ofour Lord Jesus Chriſt, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I untotheworld.
Q. 20. What isthe third inference ?
A. That it is in vain, yea, a provocation, to pray, ifwe be not obedient toGod's will; Prov. ii. 8, 9. He keepeth the paths ofjudgment, andpreſerveth theway of his faints . Then ſhalt thou underſtandrighteouſneſs, andjudgment, and equity ; yea, every good path .
Q. 21. What is the fourth inference?
A. That the law ſtill hath the authority ofa rule to believers, becauſe it reveals God's will, which they muſtdo.
Concerningourdaily Bread.
W Hat do we pray for in the fourth petition ?
Queſt. 104.
A. In the fourth petition, which is, [Give us this day our dailybread], wepray, that ofGod'sfree giftwe may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoyhis bleſſing with them.
Q. 1. Why is this petition placed after the three former ?
A. Becauſe thoſe concern immediately and generallyGod's glory, in the advancement of his name, kingdom and will, which oughtto be preferred to allour perfonal concerns ;Pfal. lxix. 9.
For the zeal ofthine houſe hath eaten me up. Acts xxi . 13. For I am readynot to be bound only, but alſo to die at Jerufalem for the name of the Lord Jefus.
Q. 2. Why is it putbefore the two following petitions ?
A. Not for its worth, but for its order ; for we can have no ſpiritualbleſſings, unleſs we have a natural being in this life.
3. What kind ofbread is here meant ?
A. Not ſpiritual bread, or our Lord Jesus Chriſt, (as fome), but corporal and temporal.
Q. 4. What is included in this word bread ?
A. Notthat onlywhichwe call ſtrictly bread, but all the goodthings ofthis preſent life.
Q. 5. Do we hereby beg pure neceffities only ?
A. No, we pray for conveniences for our comfort, as well asneceffaries for our life.
Q. 6. Do we herein pray only for perſonal good things for ourbeing?
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
A.No,weprayfor civil goodthingsfor ourcondition, that according to ourdegree in the world, in whichGod hathplacedus,wemayhave aconvenient allowance.
Q. 7. Do we pray here for ourſelves only ?
A. No, but also for our charge, children, and family, that under and with usthey mayhave the goodthings ofthis life.
Q. 8. Whydowe pray toGod for theſegood things, can wenot getthem ourſelves, or our fellow-creatures give them tous?
A. Not withoutGod: whatever we have of theſe things, they are fromGod; whoever be the second cauſe or inftrument: If ourſelves, God gives us ability and ſucceſs to get them ; if others, God inclined their hearts, and opened their hands tobeſtow them; Deut. viii. 17, 18. And thou ſay in thine heart, Mypower and themight ofmy handhath gotten me this wealth . But thou ſhalt remember the Lordthy God; for it is he that givetli thee power to get wealth.
Q. 9. Why do we pray to God to give us bread ?
A. Becauſe the leaft crumb ofbread is a free gift, and never can bemerited by all we cando or ſuffer ; Lukexvii. 10.
So likewise ye, when ye ſhall have done alltheſethings which are commandedyou, ſay, We are unprofitable ſervants.
Q10. Why are all theſe things couched under the expref fion of bread ?
A. (1.) Becauſe bread is one ofthe moſt neceſſaryanduſefulthings topreſerve life.
(2.) Becauſe we must not afk delicacies and dainties of God.
Q.I. What is meant by day in our petition ?
A. Either, (1.) A natural day of twenty-four hours ; or, (2.) Theday ofourwhole life.
Q. 12. Whydo we prayfor daily bread ?
A. BecauſeGod must give us themercies andgood things ofevery day, or elſe we cannot have them.
Q.13. Why ſhould we not pray for weekly, or monthly, or yearly bread, as well as daily?
A. (1.) Because it is fit we shouldbe ſtill ſenſible ofourdependance upon God.
(2.) Becauſewedo frequently pray to God, and ſo exert our graces, andmaintain communionwith him, anddaily render thanks fordaily favours ; Pfalm.lv. 17.
Evening and morning, and atnoon willIpray, andcryaloud, andhe ſhall hear my voice.
Q. 14. Whatneedwe toprayfordailybread,whenwemay have ſtores laid up for years ?
A. Theythat have the goodthings ofthis life need to pray
An Exposition of the Affembly's Gatechism.
this petition, as wel well as they that have them not. Notthat theymayhavebread, but that itmay be bread to them; for exceptGod give his bleſſing upon it,breadwouldbe aſhes, and not ſuſtentaneous to us ; neither could all the comforts ofthis lifedo us any good; Ifa. iii. 1. Forbehold,the Lord,the Lord ofhofts doth take away from Jerüſalem,and from Judah, the wholeſtayofbread, and the whole ſtay ofwater. Mal. ii. 1, 2 .
Andnow, Oye priests, this commandment isfor you: ifye will nothear, and ifye willnot lay it toheart, togive glory untomyname, faith theLord ofhosts, I willeven ſendacurfe upon you, and I will curſe your bleſſings ; yea, I have curſed them already, becauſe youdonot lay it to heart.
Q. 15. Whydo we pray only for daily bread, or a competency,maywe not pray for abundance and riches ?
A. No, becauſe riches are a great ſnare and temptation; Matth. xix. 23, 24. Then ſaidJeſus unto his diſciples, Verily
Ilay unto you, that a rich man ſhallhardly enter into the kingdom ofheaven. Andagain I say unto you, It is easier for acamel togothroughthe eye ofa needle, than for a richman toenter intothekingdom ofGod.
Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Remove farfrom mevanityand lies;give me neitherpoverty norriches, feedme with food convenient for me: leſt Ibe full, anddeny thee, and ſay,Who is the Lord ? Or leſt Ibepoor, and ſteal,and takethenameofmyGodin vain.
Q. 16. What ſhall we thendowith riches, if providence caftthem upon us, ſhall we castthem away ?
A. No, for fome ofthe best ofmen, andgreatest ofGod's favourites,have lived and died rich. But, (1.) We mustwean ourhearts fromthem; Pfalmlxii. 10. Truſt notin oppreffion, andbecomenotvainin robbery; ifriches increaſe, ſet not your heartuponthem.
(2.)Bethankful forthem ; and, (3.) FruitFülwith them in acts of piety and charity ; 1 Tim. vi. 17, 19.
Charge them that arerich in this world, that theybe not highminded, nor trust inuncertain riches, butinthe livingGod, who giveth us richly allthings toenjoy: laying up in ſtore for themſelves agood foundation against the time to come, that theymay lay hold on eternal life.
Q. 17. Whereforeis thebread called ourbread ?
A. Not becauſe we are abſolute lords and poſſeſſors ofit, for it isGod's only ; Pfalmxxiv.1, 2. Theearth is the Lord's, andthe fulneſs thereof; the world, and they that dwelltherein.
For he hath founded it upon the feas, and eſtabliſhed it upon the floods. Pfalm 1. 10, 12. For every beast of thefo
VOL . VIII.
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism. reft is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
If I were hungry, I would nottellthee, for the world is mine, and the fulneſs thereof.
But, (1.) Becauſe we must have a covenant right toit ; and,(2.)Acivil right; wemustcome lawfully and honestly by, and ſo keep the good things ofthis life ; 2Theff. iii. 10. For even when we were with you, this wecommanded you, that ifany wouldnot work, neither ſhould he eat.
Q. 18. Having prayed for ourdailybread,needwe tolabour and endeavour to get it ?
A. Yes, we must labour in good and honest callings ; God's bleffingand man's induſtry must concur towards the preſent maintenance oflife ; Pfalm cxxviii. 1, 2. Bleffed is every one that feareth the Lord:thatwalketh in his ways. Forthou shalt eat thelabour ofthinehands : happy ſhaltthou be, and it ſhall be well with thee. Prov. x. 4, 22. He becometh poor that dealeth with a flackhand; butthe hand ofthediligent maketh rich.
The bleſſing ofthe Lordmaketh rich, andhe addeth no forrow with it.
Q. 19. What is the firſt inference from it?
A. Thatwe must not feek great matters for ourſelves, neither make themthe matter ofprayer to God ; nor the endand deſign of our labours and callings among men.
Q. 20. What is a ſecond inference from hence ?
A. That having food and raiment, we must be therewith content, andthereforethankful ; 1 Tim. vi. 8. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.
1 Theff. v. 18.
In every thing give thanks.
Q. 21. What is the third inference ?
A. That we aſcribe not our ſucceſs in the world to our own ſkilland induſtry, for the wiſeſt andmoſt induſtrious do fometimes labour inthe fire, and put their gain in a bag ofholes; but to God's free donation to us, and to his bleffing upon our endeavours ; Gen. xxxiii. 5, 11. And he lift up his eyes, and ſaw thewomen and the children, and faid, Who are thoſewith thee ? And he ſaid, the children which God hath graciouſly given thy fervant.-Take, I pray thee, my bleſſing that is brought tothee, becauſe God hath dealt gracioufly with me, and becauſe I have enough.
Deut. xxviii. 3. Bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the city, and blefſed ſhalt thoube in the field. Ver.
6. Blefled ſhalt thou bewhen thou comeſt in, andbleſſed ſhalt thoubewhen thou goeft out.